A humorous look at how a woman perseveres amidst a life that intrudes on the dream.

Tuesday

Stop the Buck Right Here

…stop the buck, right here

My preferred learning style is not visual nor auditory but realistic. I learn when knowledge slaps me up-side the head. And even then, I still get it wrong. I am poised and ready at any moment, to beg forgiveness from my children, their teachers or my neighbors for another of my misadventures.

Excuse me, pardon me, I make mistakes! I thought it was part of being human. Accidents happen. I admit it and take responsibility!

To: thewholefamily@wig.outDon’t worry that you forgot my birthday. I like your bad memory because then you won’t remember my mistakes. Join me in a life full of foul-ups, one after another, on top of each other, piled onto the rest. It’s the simple life! T.

I’m observing a trend in avoiding responsibility. Doctors can’t afford to be human, neither can politicians. At one time, our nation’s president had a sign on his desk, “The buck stops here,” but no more. Instead our new national motto is C.Y.A., cover your assets. It’s the business acronym for assuring that the golden parachute has no frays weakening the chute line to the money. The CEO, the surgeon, and the tax attorney are paid for services only, not to take the blame. That’s extra.

I can admit it. I make mistakes, humans do and that’s what I teach my children, “Accidents happen. Everybody makes mistakes. The key is to tell the truth and admit you did it. Fix your mistake, learn from it and move on.”

To: thewholefamily@wig.outI attempt to pull into traffic yesterday, in a merging lane, ahead of vehicle one. I signal and drop back to edge in between vehicle one and two. Vehicle two would not allow the merge and honked vehemently. I jerked back and merged behind vehicle two, who then gestured through the back window the universal, “I am King of this road and don’t you ever forget it,” signal.

I continued to follow His Majesty’s car for two more blocks then it moved to the center turn lane and I pulled up beside it. As I looked over at the driver, a beanie-wearing insurance risk, I caught his eye and he repeated the insulting gesture as I mouthed, “I’m sorry.” I repeated it three more times while he sat there, glancing over most miserably, until he deigned a nod to the lowly peasant. T

Reality Bite: (and she’s off again onto another rant!) Whew, Tell me how you really feel!